How to Make Argentine Asado with Chimichurri — The Pampas Gaucho Tradition

Overview

Learn to prepare authentic Argentine Asado, following traditional Pampas gaucho techniques with specific hardwood fires, precise meat cuts, and only sal gruesa seasoning. This video also details the non-negotiable recipe for traditional chimichurri, ensuring a perfect medium-rare sirloin and a complete Argentine dining experience.

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 0.5 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
• 0.5 teaspoon coarse salt (for chimichurri)
• 0.25 cup red wine vinegar
• 0.5 cup good extra-virgin olive oil
• 26 pounds assorted beef cuts (e.g., chorizos, morcillas, mollejas, chinchulines, tira de asado, vacío, bife de chorizo)
• Sal gruesa (coarse rock salt), 1 heavy tablespoon per pound of meat
• 1 ripe tomato, finely diced (for salsa criolla)
• 0.5 red onion, finely diced (for salsa criolla)
• 0.5 red bell pepper, finely diced (for salsa criolla)
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (for salsa criolla)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (for salsa criolla)
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (for salsa criolla)
• 0.5 teaspoon salt (for salsa criolla)
• Fresh black pepper (for salsa criolla, optional at table)

Instructions

1. Prepare the chimichurri: Combine 1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 0.5 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 0.5 teaspoon coarse salt, 0.25 cup red wine vinegar, and 0.5 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a glass jar in that exact order.
2. Shake the chimichurri jar well and let it rest at room temperature for a minimum of 30 minutes, ideally two hours, before serving.
3. Prepare the salsa criolla: Finely dice 1 ripe tomato, 0.5 red onion, 0.5 red bell pepper, and 2 tablespoons fresh parsley.
4. Dress the salsa criolla with 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 0.5 teaspoon salt, and fresh black pepper, then let it rest for 20 minutes.
5. Build a fire using hardwood like quebracho, oak, or hickory, burning it down to red-glowing embers for at least 45 minutes; never use softwood or charcoal briquettes.
6. Position the parrilla grate 30 to 40 centimeters above the coals, ensuring the coals sit under only one half of the grate, not directly under the meat.
7. Test the grate temperature by holding your hand at grate height; it should tolerate the heat for exactly four seconds (approximately 480°F/250°C).
8. Shovel fresh embers under the grate every 20 minutes to maintain consistent heat.
9. Salt all meat cuts with one heavy tablespoon of sal gruesa per pound just before placing them on the grate; do not pepper or oil the meat during cooking.
10. Begin grilling with chorizos and morcillas for 20 minutes over moderate coals, followed by mollejas for 25 minutes, and chinchulines for 30 minutes.
11. Next, cook tira de asado (short-rib cross-cut) for 45 minutes, then vacío (flank steak) for one full hour.
12. For the bife de chorizo (boneless sirloin), place it on the grate, wait 5 minutes, turn it 90 degrees for cross-hatch grill marks after 2 minutes, then flip it once for another 5 minutes on the second side.
13. Pull the bife de chorizo when its internal temperature reaches 125°F (52°C) for a perfect medium-rare.
14. Rest the cooked bife de chorizo for 5 minutes on a warm wooden board before slicing it across the grain into half-inch thick pieces.
15. Serve all asado cuts immediately with chimichurri and salsa criolla on the side, accompanied by crusty pan francés and Malbec.

In this video

• Authentic Argentine Asado originated with Pampas gauchos in the 1700s, who cooked whole cows on iron crosses over hardwood embers.
• The traditional Asado requires burning hardwood like quebracho, oak, or hickory down to red-glowing embers for at least 45 minutes before cooking.
• The parrilla grate should be positioned 30 to 40 centimeters above the embers, with a target temperature where a hand can tolerate the heat for exactly four seconds.
• Season asado meat only with one heavy tablespoon of sal gruesa (coarse rock salt) per pound, applied just before it goes on the grate.
• Cook a 3-centimeter thick boneless sirloin (bife de chorizo) for 5 to 7 minutes per side, pulling it from the grill at an internal temperature of 125°F (52°C) for a perfect medium-rare.
• Rest cooked bife de chorizo for 5 minutes on a warm wooden board before slicing it across the grain into half-inch thick pieces.
• Traditional chimichurri combines one cup of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, four minced garlic cloves, one tablespoon dried oregano, half a teaspoon red pepper flakes, half a teaspoon coarse salt, a quarter cup red wine vinegar, and half a cup extra-virgin olive oil.
• Always combine chimichurri ingredients in a glass jar in the specified order, shake, and let it rest at room temperature for a minimum of 30 minutes before serving, never refrigerating it.
• Avoid common asado mistakes such as direct flame on meat, using marinades, flipping meat more than once, adding pepper before cooking, or putting chimichurri on the meat before it has rested.
• A full Argentine Asado experience includes chorizos, morcillas, mollejas, chinchulines, tira de asado, vacío, and bife de chorizo, served with chimichurri, salsa criolla, pan francés, and Malbec.

Frequently asked questions

What type of wood is best for traditional Argentine asado?

For an authentic Argentine asado, use hardwood like quebracho, oak, or hickory, never softwood or charcoal briquettes, and burn it down to red-glowing embers for at least 45 minutes.

How do you season the meat for an Argentine asado?

Season the meat solely with sal gruesa, or coarse rock salt, using one heavy tablespoon per pound just before placing it on the grate; avoid pepper and oil during cooking.

What is the correct internal temperature for medium-rare Argentine sirloin (bife de chorizo)?

For a perfect medium-rare, or "jugoso," remove the boneless sirloin from the grill when it reaches an internal temperature of 125°F (52°C).

What are the key ingredients for traditional Argentine chimichurri?

Key ingredients for traditional chimichurri include fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced garlic, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, coarse salt, red wine vinegar, and extra-virgin olive oil, combined in specific proportions.

What are common mistakes to avoid when cooking Argentine asado?

Avoid direct flames on the meat, using marinades, flipping the meat more than once, applying pepper during cooking, and putting chimichurri on the meat before it has rested and been sliced.